System for evaluating process implementation

ABSTRACT

A method for evaluating process implementation is disclosed. The method includes establishing at least one functional map that relates a first criteria indicative of operational failures associated with operating the process and a second criteria indicative of operational times associated with operating the process. The method also includes establishing a first value indicative of a quantity of operational failures predicted to occur during start-up of the operation of the process. The method also includes establishing a second value indicative of a quantity of operational failures allowed to occur during continued operation of the process. The method further includes predicting a first timing indicative a time the process will be operated to achieve the second value as a function of the first and second criteria.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a system for a evaluatingimplementation and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for aevaluating process implementation.

BACKGROUND

Logistical processes, e.g., a delivery, receiving, or warehousingprocesses, typically manipulate, e.g., assemble, repackage, store,and/or transport, one or more products. The manipulation of the productsusually includes coordinated movement of a plurality of products betweenvarious proximate locations, e.g., locations within a common building orfacility, and/or remote locations, e.g., locations within differentcities, regions, or countries. Typically, logistical processesdistribute products among manufacturing entities or between amanufacturing entity and a market entity. Such entities typically haverequirements for the logistical process, e.g., delivery lead times,storage or shipment tracking, and/or other specifications. Although theentities allow some failure percentage, that is entities do not require100% accuracy with respect to the product manipulation, i.e., operationof the logistical process, new or modified logistical processestypically experience higher than acceptable failure percentages andrequire validation, e.g., start-up, troubleshooting, and transition tosubstantially uneventful operation, to implement a logistical processwithin a desired failure percentage. Accurate prediction and tracking ofthe time associated with validating a process may reduce adverse effectswith respect to interrelated processes, e.g., delays cascaded tomanufacturing or market entities.

U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0160103 (“the '103application”) filed by Raffo discloses a system for simulating softwaredesign and development. The system of the '103 application includes alibrary of engineering building blocks configured as genericsub-processes or sub-components which are selected and arranged toestablish a model of the software development process. The modelincludes different process stages, including, requirement analysis,design, implementation, testing, and release. By modeling each of thedifferent stages, the system of the '103 application simulates thedevelopment process according to generalized equations as a function ofinput data. By varying the input data, the system of the '103application simulates the influence the data have on the developmentprocess.

Although the method of the '103 application may model a softwaredevelopment process and provide simulated outcomes, it may notaccurately predict the time necessary to validate the process.Additionally, the system of the '103 application may be complex and mayrequire significant expertise to utilize.

The present disclosure is directed to overcoming one or more of theshortcomings set forth above.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a method forevaluating process implementation. The method includes establishing atleast one functional map that relates a first criteria indicative ofoperational failures associated with operating the process and a secondcriteria indicative of operational times associated with operating theprocess. The method also includes establishing a first value indicativeof a quantity of operational failures predicted to occur during start-upof the operation of the process. The method also includes establishing asecond value indicative of a quantity of operational failures allowed tooccur during continued operation of the process. The method furtherincludes predicting a first timing indicative a time the process will beoperated to achieve the second value as a function of the first andsecond criteria.

In another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a workenvironment for evaluating a process implementation. The workenvironment includes a computer configured to receive a plurality ofinputs from a user. The work environment also includes a database thatincludes a plurality of data indicative of at least one map. The map isconfigured to functionally relate a first plurality of values indicativeof percent of risk associated with operating the process and a secondplurality of values indicative of time associated with operating theprocess. The work environment further includes a program configured toaccess the at least one map to predict a first timing indicative of thetime the process will be operated to achieve a desired percentage ofrisk.

In yet another aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a methodfor validating a process. The method includes determining a first riskindicative of a predicted percentage of failures likely to occur duringthe validation. The method also includes determining a second riskindicative of a percentage of failures acceptable to occur when theprocess is operated. The method also includes predicting a first timingvia a map that is configured to functionally relate risk and time. Thefirst timing is indicative of the time the process will be operated toachieve the second risk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a graphical illustration of an exemplary map configured toevaluate process implementation in accordance with the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary method ofevaluating process implementation configured to be performed inconjunction with the map of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of an exemplary work environmentconfigured to perform the one or more steps of the method of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary map 10. Map 10 may include amulti-dimensional map functionally, e.g., a functional map, relatingrisk of operating a process and time. The risk may be indicative of therate at which failures, e.g., operational failures, associated with theprocess are likely or predicted to occur during operation of theprocess. For example, a customer may desire a new delivery operationconfigured to transport one or more products between a manufacturingprocess, e.g., a factory producing finished products, and a marketprocess, e.g., a retail distributor. The risk for such a deliveryoperation may include, for example, the rate at which the wrong productsare delivered to a particular distributor, the number of latedeliveries, the occurrence of product damage during shipping, or othertypes of inaccurate operation of the delivery operation. The risk mayinclude a value, e.g., a numerical representation, indicative of thelikelihood that failures, e.g., operational failures, may occur. It iscontemplated that risk may be indicative of a percentage of failures.The time may be indicative of the time the process may be operated,e.g., operational time.

A process may be any logistical operation configured to affect any typeof manipulation, such as, for example, arranging, packaging,transporting, assembling, and/or any other type of manipulation known inthe art. A failure may be indicative of one or more products manipulatedbelow a desired specification. It is contemplated that a process mayinclude an existing or conceptual process and may include any type oflogistical process, such as, for example, cross docking, receiving,warehousing inventory or finished products, repacking, picking,sequencing, kitting, sub-assembling, shipping preparation or loading,delivery, other types of operations, and/or a combination of one or moresuch operations. It is also contemplated that a failure, e.g., anoperational failure, may include a product manipulated below apredetermined requirement. It is further contemplated that the processmay be a manufacturing and/or market process and is described hereinwith reference to a logistical process for exemplary purposes only.

With continued reference to FIG. 1, map 10 may graphically represent afunctional relationship between risk and time on substantiallyperpendicular axes and may include one or more failure lines F₀, F₁, F₂within a quadrant disposed between the two axes. Failure line F₀ mayintersect the risk axis at a point 12 which may be indicative of aninitial risk of the process. Failure line F₀ may also intersect anacceptable risk line 16 at point 14 which may be indicative of thepredicted time necessary to achieve the desired risk within a givenconfidence, e.g., a statistical confidence. The predicted time may beindicative of the time, e.g., validation time, that the process may needto be operated to begin operation, e.g., start-up, identify unforeseenproblems, teach personnel how to operate one or more sub-processes,troubleshoot the operation of the process, and/or otherwise obtainconfidence in beginning and operating the process as is known in theart. It is contemplated that the functional relation between risk andtime may be according to any relation, such as, for example, linearly,logarithmically, exponentially, or any other mathematical relation. Itis also contemplated that if the functional relation between risk andtime is represented with both axis on a logarithmic scale, a “log-log”scale, failure line F₀ may be graphically represented as a substantiallystraight line having a slope of unit risk to unit time substantiallyequal to 2:1. It is further contemplated that risk and time may beindicative of any units such as, for example, percent or quantity withrespect to risk and/or hours or days with respect to time.

Failure lines F₀, F₁, F₂ may be indicative of zero, one, and twofailures, respectively, as identified during the validation of theprocess. Failure lines F₀, F₁, F₂ may each graphically represent theeffect an identified error may have on the predicted time necessary toachieve confidence in operating the process at the desired risk. Forexample, failure line F₀ may indicate the predicted validation time ifno additional failures are identified, e.g., no failures occur duringvalidation of the process. Similarly, failure lines F₁, F₂ may indicatethe predicted validation time when one and two failures, respectively,are identified during validation and, thus, map 10 may be utilized topredict the validation time for the process. It is contemplated that map10 may include any number of failure lines.

Failure line F₀ may be determined as a function of the initial risk,e.g., intersection 12, and a predetermined slope. The initial risk valuemay be determined as a function of the degree of similarity between theprocess and previously implemented processes. Starting from intersection12, failure line F₀ may be generated and graphically represented as asubstantially straight line according to the mathematical equationUnit_(Risk)=2×Unit_(Time)+Intial Risk, e.g., according to the 2:1 sloperelation described above. As such, the intersection between failure lineF₀ and the acceptable risk line 16, e.g., point 14, may be establishedand time t may be predicted.

Additional failure lines, e.g., failure lines F₁, F₂, may be determinedas a function of the intersection of failure line F₀ and the acceptablerisk line 16, e.g., point 14, and a statistical distribution formula,e.g., a chi-square (“X²”) formula. Starting from point 14, a firstpoint, point 18, of failure line F₁ may be determined according to themathematical equation R_(i)=X²[(n+1),(k_(conf))]/(2×T_(i)); whereinR_(i) represents the risk value, X² represents the chi-squarestatistical distribution function, n represents the number of failures,k_(conf) represents the desired statistical confidence level forvalidating the process, and T_(i) represents the time to achieve theR_(i) risk value. The statistical distribution formula, chi-square iswell known in the art and, as such, is not further described. Forexample, the risk associated with the existence of one failure at time tmay be represented as R_(t)=X² [(1+1),(k_(conf))]/(2×t); which may begreater than the desired risk as predicted by the failure line F₀. Theremainder of points along failure line F1 may be established byfunctionally relating point 18 and a predetermined slope which may ormay not be substantially equal to the slope of failure line F₀. It iscontemplated that failure line F₁ may, alternatively, be established bydetermining a second point of failure line F₁ similar to determiningpoint 18 with respect to a different time value, e.g., time zero t₀. Itis also contemplated that additional failure lines, e.g., failure lineF₂, may be determined similarly as failure line F₁. It is furthercontemplated that each of failure lines F₀, F₁, F₂ may be parallel andmay or may not be equally spaced apart with respect to a linear,logarithmic, or exponential functional relation.

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method 50 for evaluating processimplementation. Method 10 may include determining risk of implementing aprocess, step 52, determining a validation timing associated withimplementing a process, step 54, and normalizing the determined timing,step 56. Method 50 may also include monitoring and/or evaluating processimplementation, step 58, tracking progress, step 60, and evaluatingpotential scenarios, step 62. It is contemplated that the stepsassociated with method 50 may be performed in any order and aredescribed herein in a particular sequence for exemplary purposes only.It is also contemplated that method 10 may be performed continuously,periodically, singularly, as a batch method, and/or may be repeated asdesired.

Step 52 may include determining risk of implementing a process, e.g.,establishing intersection 12 and acceptable risk line 16 (referring toFIG. 1). Specifically, step 52 may include establishing an initial riskassociated with implementing a process and a desired risk associatedwith operating the process. The initial risk may be indicative of apredicted amount of failures likely to occur during processimplementation and may be a function of the amount of new content withina particular process. New content may include, for example, the amountof customized sub-processes that are new or unique to the particularprocess or the amount of sub-processes that have not been previouslyimplemented with respect to another process. The initial risk may bedetermined by subdividing the process into one or more sub-processes andcomparing each of the one or more sub-processes with one or morepreviously developed or operated sub-processes. Each sub-process mayhave a generic risk associated therewith that may be indicative of, forexample, an industry standard risk, a experience based risk,historically determined risk, and/or any other type of risk assessmentknown in the art. The similarity between a previous sub-process and acurrent sub-process may be qualitatively determined as a function ofexperience and/or expertise and the generic risk may be reduced as afunction of the similarity. It is contemplated that the amount of riskmay be reduced from the initial risk toward the desired risk as theparticular process is validated, e.g., as personnel gain experienceperforming one more sub-processes and the likelihood of the occurrenceof additional failures correspondingly reduces. The desired risk may beindicative of the amount of failures a customer allows or accepts fromoperation of the process. Specifically, the desired risk may bedetermined based on any suitable criteria known in the art, such as, forexample, experience, desired profitability, cost of operating theprocess, and/or best practices. It is contemplated that the desired riskmay or may not be zero.

Step 54 may include determining a validation timing associated withimplementing a process. Specifically, step 54 may include determiningthe time the process will be operated from the initial risk toward thedesired risk and may include establishing at least one failure line,e.g., failure line F₀, within map 10 (referring to FIG. 1). It iscontemplated that step 54 may determine the functional relation via anysuitable means, such as, for example, test data, historically correlateddata, past experience, best practices, and/or any other method known inthe art. It is also contemplated that performing step 54 may includeestablishing additional failure lines, e.g., failure lines F₁, F₂, andthat performing steps 52 and 54 may include establishing map 10.

Step 56 may include normalizing the determined validation timing.Specifically, step 56 may include correlating the predicted validationtime that may be, for example, represented in hours, with respect to theparticular resources for operating the process to represent thevalidation time in, for example, days or shifts. The resources of theprocess may include, for example, the quantity of personnel performingone or more tasks or sub-processes, e.g., number of workers, thequantity of shifts the personnel may be work, e.g., a given number ofshifts per day, the time duration of a given shift, e.g., a given numberof hours, the quantity of manipulations that may be performed within agiven period of time, e.g., cycles per hour, the time duration that theprocess may be operated, e.g., a given number of years, and/or any otherprocess resources known in the art. For example, step 56 may includedetermining the validation time per units of days by functionallyrelating a determined validation time per units of hours, the desiredrisk, and one or more process resources. It is contemplated that thefunctional relation to normalize the determined duration may be anysuitable mathematical relation known in the art and may be linear,logarithmic, or exponential. It is also contemplated that one or more ofthe resources associated with the process may be determined fromexperience, test data, historical data, expertise, and/or any othersuitable method known in the art and may or may not be variable.

Step 58 may include monitoring and/or evaluating the processimplementation. Step 58 may include utilizing map 10 to determine and/orcompare actual progress with predicted progress and/or predict theeffects potential failures may have on both the actual and predictedprogress. Specifically, step 58 may also include performing one or moreof steps 60 and 62.

Step 60 may include tracking progress. Specifically, step 60 may includemonitoring the progress of process implementation and may utilize map10. For example, and with reference to FIG. 1, process validation maybegin at time t₀ and the initial risk may be indicated at intersection12. By following failure line F₀ from intersection 12 and along arrow20, map 10 may indicate that at some time after time t₀, the validationof the process may still be completed as predicted, e.g., at time tcorresponding to intersection 14. Additionally, if a failure occursafter time zero, step 60 may include moving from failure line F₀ tofailure line F₁ as indicated by arrow 22. Failure line F₁ may intersectthe desired risk line 16 at a time value greater than time t and thuspredict a longer validation time. Similarly, if another failure occurs,step 60 may include moving from failure line F₁ to failure line F₂ asindicated by arrow 24. Additionally, if a failure is solved, e.g.,corrected, overcome, or understood, step 60 may include moving fromfailure line F₂ to failure line F₁ as indicated by arrow 26 andpredicting a validation time less than the time value predicted viafailure line F₂. Accordingly, step 60 may monitor the occurrence offailures and may track the progress of process implementation byselectively moving between failure lines and predicting the time tocomplete the validation as a function of the intersection of thepresently utilized failure line and desired risk line 16.

Step 62 may include evaluating potential scenarios. Similar to step 60,step 62 may predict the effect that a future failure may have on thevalidation time. That is, step 62 may include anticipating bothoccurrences of failures and solutions to failures and may utilize map 10to determine the potential impact that such an occurrence may have onthe validation time, e.g., increasing or decreasing the validationtiming. As such, steps 58, 60, 62 may predict the time that the processwill be operated until the desired risk is achieved, e.g., predict thevalidation time as a function of the initial risk, desired risk, andoccurrence of failures during validation.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary work environment 100 for performingmethod 10. Work environment 100 may include a computer 102, a program104, and a database 106. Work environment 100 may be configured toaccept inputs from a user 108 via computer 102 to evaluate processimplementation and may also be configured to communicate and/or displaydata or graphics to user 108 via computer 102. It is contemplated thatwork environment 100 may include additional components such as, forexample, a communications interface (not shown), a memory (not shown),and/or other components known in the art.

Computer 102 may include a general purpose computer configured tooperate executable computer code. Computer 102 may include one or moreinput devices, e.g., a keyboard (not shown) or a mouse (not shown), tointroduce inputs from user 108 into work environment 100 and may includeone or more output devices, e.g., a monitor, to deliver outputs fromwork environment 100 to user 108. Specifically, user 108 may deliver oneor more inputs, e.g., data, into work environment 100 via computer 102to supply data to and/or execute program 104. Computer 102 may alsoinclude one or more data manipulation devices, e.g., data storage orsoftware programs (not shown), to transfer and/or alter user inputs.Computer 102 may also include one or more communication devices, e.g., amodem (not shown) or a network link (not shown), to communicate inputsand/or outputs with program 104. It is contemplated that computer 102may further include additional and/or different components, such as, forexample, a memory (not shown), a communications hub (not shown), a datastorage (not shown), a printer (not shown), an audio-video device (notshown), removable data storage devices (not shown), and/or othercomponents known in the art. It is also contemplated that computer 102may communicate with program 104 via, for example, a local area network(“LAN”), a hardwired connection, and/or the Internet. It is furthercontemplated that work environment 100 may include any number ofcomputers and that each computer associated with work environment 100may be accessible by any number of users for inputting data into workenvironment 100, communicating data with program 104, and/or receivingoutputs from work environment 100.

Program 104 may include a computer executable code routine configured toperform one or more sub-routines and/or algorithms to evaluate a processimplementation within work environment 100. Specifically, program 104may be configured to perform one or more steps of method 10. Program 104may receive inputs, e.g., data, from computer 102 and perform one ormore algorithms to manipulate the received data. Program 104 may alsodeliver and/or communicate, e.g., display, one or more outputs, e.g.,algorithmic results, to user 108 via computer 102. Program 104 may alsoaccess database 106 to locate and manipulate data stored therein toarrange and/or display stored data to user 108 via computer 102, e.g.,via an interactive object oriented computer screen display. It iscontemplated that program 104 may be stored within the memory (notshown) of computer 102 and/or stored on a remote server (not shown)accessible by computer 102. It is also contemplated that program 104 mayinclude additional sub-routines and/or algorithms to perform variousother operations with respect to mathematically representing data,generating or importing additional data into program 104, and/orperforming other computer executable operations. It is furthercontemplated that program 104 may include any type of computerexecutable code, e.g., C++, and/or may be configured to operate on anytype of computer software.

Databases 106 may be configured to store and arrange data and tointeract with program 104. Specifically, database 106 may be configuredto store and arrange data indicative of the initial risk, desired risk,functional relationship established during steps 52 and 54 (referring toFIG. 2). Database 106 may be configured to store and arrange dataindicative of one or more sub-processes, one or more multi-dimensionalmaps, e.g., map 10 (referring to FIG. 1), and/or process resources,e.g., manpower, number of shifts, and/or other process resources knownin the art. Database 106 may store and arrange any quantity of dataarranged in any suitable or desired format. Program 104 may beconfigured to access database 106 to identify particular data thereinand display such data to user 108. It is contemplated that database 106may include any suitable type of database such as, for example, aspreadsheet, a two dimensional table, or a three dimensional table, andmay arrange and/or store data in any manner known in the art, such as,for example, within a hierarchy, in groupings according to associateddata, and/or searchable according to associated identity tags.

User 108 may include any entity configured to input data into and/orreceive data from work environment 100. For example, user 108 mayinclude a project manager configured to evaluate process implementationand/or coordinate efforts configured to perform the processimplementation. For example, user 108 may populate database 106 withdata indicative of one or more sub-processes, the resources associatedwith a process, and may, in conjunction with program 104, perform one ormore steps of method 50. It is contemplated that user 108 may includeany number of different entities that each may perform any number ofdifferent steps and/or actions within method 50.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The disclosed system for evaluating process implementation may beapplicable to evaluate any type of process. The disclosed system maypredict the time a process may be operated before achieving a desiredquantity of operational failures and may monitor and evaluate progressof the process implementation. Map 10 and the operation of method 50will be explained below with reference to a logistical process forexemplary purposes only.

For example, an entity may desire a logistical process, e.g., a deliveryoperation, to transport a plurality of products from a firstmanufacturing facility to a second manufacturing facility and maytolerate a 2% failure rate for the delivery operation. Similaroperations may have been previously developed and operated, however, thedelivery operation may include a portion of new content. As such, method50 may be performed, in conjunction with map 10, to predict thevalidation time of a new or modified process.

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, user 108, e.g., a project manager or otherentity personnel, may perform one or more steps within method 50 topredict a validation time for the delivery operation and may track theprogress thereof. Specifically, user 108 may develop and utilize map 10to evaluate the implementation of the delivery operation. Map 10 mayfunctionally relate the new content of the delivery operation, e.g., thedegree of difference between the type of packaging of the products, thequantity of products, the type of products, the delivery schedule,and/or any other process characteristic known in the art, with respectto previously operated processes to determine an initial risk (step 52).The initial risk may represent the likelihood that failures will occurduring operation of the delivery operation because of the new contentand the lack of confidence in the operation because of unforeseenfailures. The entity's tolerated failure rate, e.g., acceptable riskline 16, and the initial risk, e.g., intersection 12, may befunctionally related within map 10 to predict a validation time, e.g.,intersection 14, via failure line F₀ (step 54). Intersection 14 maypredict the time the delivery operation will be operated to reduce therisk associated with its operation, and to achieve a statisticalconfidence that continued operation of the delivery operation will meetthe entity's tolerated failure rate.

The predicted validation time may be normalized to the deliveryoperation as a function of the resources associated with the deliveryoperation (step 56). For example, the predicted validation time may becorrelated from hours to days as a function of the number of personnel,number of shifts, and/or additional resources associated with thedelivery operation. Additionally, the predicted validation time may beincreased or decreased as a function of one or more failures occurring,solved, predicted to occur, and/or predicted to be solved (step 58). Itis contemplated that a contractor may utilize map 10 and perform method50 to predict validation times and develop proposals and/or bids tosolicit business opportunities for process implementation developmentand/or management with respect to a customer.

Because method 50 and, in particular, map 10, predicts a validation timeas a function of the amount of new content and functionally relates riskand time, the accuracy of determining the time required to implement aprocess may be improved. Because map 10 may include multiple failurelines, the accuracy of process implementation may be improved bytracking the occurrence of additional failures and their affect on thepredicted validation timing.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made to the disclosed system for aevaluating process implementation. Other embodiments will be apparent tothose skilled in the art from consideration of the specification andpractice of the disclosed method and apparatus. It is intended that thespecification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a truescope being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.

1.-7. (canceled)
 8. A work environment for evaluating a processimplementation comprising: a computer configured to receive a pluralityof inputs from a user; a database including a plurality of dataindicative of at least one map configured to functionally relate a firstplurality of values indicative of percentage of risk associated withoperating the process and a second plurality of values indicative oftime associated with operating the process; and a program configured toaccess the at least one map to predict a first timing indicative of thetime the process will be operated to reduce risk associated withoperating the process from an initial percentage of risk to a desiredpercentage of risk; wherein the process is configured to manipulate aplurality of products and risk associated with operating the process isindicative of one of the plurality of products not being manipulatedaccording to desired specifications.
 9. The work environment of claim 8,wherein the program is further configured to: receive at least one inputfrom the computer indicative of the similarity between the process andat least one previously implemented process; and determine the initialpercentage of risk as a function of the at least one input.
 10. The workenvironment of claim 8, wherein the desired percentage of risk isindicative of an acceptable amount of operational failures.
 11. The workenvironment of claim 8, wherein: the map is further configured tofunctionally relate the first and second plurality of values accordingto a dual logarithmic scale; and the map includes a plurality of plotseach having a slope of two units of the first plurality of values to oneunit of the second plurality of values.
 12. The work environment ofclaim 8, wherein the process implementation includes at least one of across docking, receiving, warehousing, repacking, picking, sequencing,kitting, sub-assembly, or shipping operation. 13.-20. (canceled)
 21. Amethod for evaluating process implementation comprising: establishing atleast one functional map relating a first plurality of values indicativeof percentage of risk associated with operating a process and a secondplurality of values indicative of time associated with operating theprocess; establishing a first value, indicative of a quantity offailures predicted to likely occur during start-up of the process, as afunction of the amount of new content associated with the process;establishing a second value indicative of a quantity of failures allowedto occur during continued operation of the process; and predicting afirst timing indicative of a time the process will be operated to reduceoperational failures occurring during start-up from the first value tothe second value as a function of the first and second plurality ofvalues.
 22. The method of claim 21, wherein the new content is afunction of a quantity of sub-processes associated with the process thathave not been previously implemented with respect to at least one otherprocess.
 23. The method of claim 21, wherein the new content is afunction of a quantity of sub-processes associated with the process thatare customized with respect to at least one sub-process associated withat least one other process.
 24. The method of claim 21, whereinestablishing the first value includes subdividing the process into oneor more sub-processes associated with the process and comparing each ofthe one or more sub-processes with at least one other process.
 25. Themethod of claim 21, further including operating the process until thesecond value is achieve within a statistical confidence threshold. 26.The method of claim 21, wherein the process is a logistical processincluding at least one of a cross-docking, receiving, warehousing,repacking, picking, sequencing, kitting, subassembly, or shippingoperation.
 27. The method of claim 21, further including normalizing thefirst timing as a function of one or more resources associated with theprocess.
 28. The method of claim 21, wherein the one or more resourcesinclude at least one of a quantity of workers associated with theprocess, a quantity of shifts that workers associated with the processperform, a quantity of manipulations associated with the processperformed within a given period of time, or the operational time periodof the process.
 29. A method of validating a process, comprising:determining an initial risk associated with operating the process atleast partially during validation; determining an acceptable riskassociated with operating the process after validation, the acceptablerisk being less than the initial risk; predicting a timing, via a mapfunctionally relating risk associated with operating the process andtime of operating the process, the timing being indicative of the timethe process will be operated during validation to reduce the initialrisk to the acceptable risk; and normalizing the predicted timing as afunction of one or more resources associated with the process.
 30. Themethod of claim 29, wherein the initial risk is a function ofoperational failures predicted to occur during operation of the processduring validation.
 31. The method of claim 29, wherein the acceptablerisk is a function of operational failures acceptable to occur duringoperation of the process after validation.
 32. The method of claim 29,wherein the process is configured to manipulate a plurality of productsand the risk associated with operating the process is a function of oneor more of the plurality of products not being manipulated according todesired specifications.
 33. The method of claim 29, wherein the processis a logistical process including at least one of a cross-docking,receiving, warehousing, repacking, picking, sequencing, kitting,subassembly, or shipping operation.
 34. The method of claim 29, whereinthe one or more resources include at least one of a quantity of workersassociated with the process, a quantity of shifts that workersassociated with the process perform, a quantity of manipulationsassociated with the process performed within a given period of time, orthe operational time period of the process.
 35. The method of claim 29,further including operating the process during validation to reduce theinitial risk to the acceptable risk.